Workforce Voices Maternity Learning Event brings together stakeholders from across North East and North Cumbria

In June 2026, Workforce Voices hosted a maternity learning event in Durham. This brought together a wide range of stakeholders from across the maternity sector in the North East and North Cumbria, from student midwives through to senior leaders, creating a space for open discussion and collaborative thinking about what change is needed to secure the future of the maternity workforce.

After a set of talks setting the scene about the factors shaping workforce pressures in obstetrics and midwifery, attendees took part in roundtable discussions to explore themes in more detail. Drawing on their own expertise and experience, attendees considered how current findings resonated with their own practice, and shared ideas for how challenges might be addressed.

These discussions generated rich insights and a strong sense of shared purpose. Participants valued the opportunity to contribute openly, with many highlighting the importance of having space to reflect on their own experiences while also helping to shape future research.

Some key messages in themes were:

• Culture and recognition: Participants highlighted the importance of promoting positive stories within maternity services and fostering a culture that supports learning and professional pride.
• Workplace relationships: Strengthening collaboration across roles and departments was seen as critical to building mutual understanding and resilience.
• Wellbeing and fatigue: Practical improvements to rest spaces, break culture, and flexible working were identified as important steps to support staff wellbeing.
• Education and development: Revisiting expectations of learning, particularly for newly qualified and internationally trained staff, was seen as central to maintaining confidence and capability in increasingly complex care environments.
• Leadership and voice: Consistent leadership and greater involvement of staff in decision-making were highlighted as important to improving staff morale and strengthening engagement.

The insights gathered at this event will directly inform the next phase of Workforce Voices research, helping to shape evidence that can support meaningful improvements in maternity workforce sustainability.

Our thanks to Professor Richard Bellamy, Mr Sanjay Rao and Dr Megan Brown for their presentations.